Tunnel-ventilating device.



H. CONSTABLE. TUNNEL VENTILATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 22, 1905.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l,

Inventor: Hownn CDNSTA B H. CONSTABLE. TUNNEL VENTILATING DEVICE.

. Q I APPLICATION FILED DEC. 92, 1!?05. Patented Apr. 20

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

30 g Howmw Cor/snaps W Inventor:

by I Q I ZZ W, 31 M m: NORRIS PETERS co.. WASHINGTON, 0.1:

H. CONSTABLE. TUNNEL VENTILATING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 1330.22, 1905.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909,

3SHEBTS-BHEET a.

UNITED STATES HOWARD CONSTABLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TUNNEL-VE NTILATING DEVICE Application filed. December Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

22, 1905. Serial No. 292,382.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD Consranmn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tunnel-Ventilating Devices, of which. the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for vent ilating tunnels, and particularly railway tunnels. Its object is to ventilate a tunnel by disturbing the balance oi air currents passing through or generated therein so as to cause a general movement in the desired direction. In many cases the direction of the current to be established is arbitrary, whirling cur rents generated by the passage of the trains through the tunnel being so controlled and in some cases so assisted as to produce the desired eilect. In other cases there may be an existing tendency for currents to move in a given direction w iich may be determined by observation. In the case of a drift or hill tunnel it will be determined by the direction of the prevailing winds, and in the case of an inclined tunnel in which considerable heat is generated by the mere fact of its inclination. .It is of course desirable to take advantage of natural currents wherever those exist, rather than to oppose them.

Further objects of the invention will appear in the specification and be pointed out in the claims.

My system utilizes the rapid movement iven to limited portions of the air immeiately surrounding movin trains by transmuting it into a relatively s ow movement of a large mass of air through the length of the tunnel.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views of a section of a tour-track railway tunnel with its roof removed. Fig. 8 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the plane 44, Fig. 2. Figs. 4i and 5 are respectively a plan and an elevation of a portion of my device. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a similar portion of the device in modified form. Figs. 7 and 8 are plan views of two forms of another-portion of my device. Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively plan view and side elevation of another portion of my device. Fig. 11, partly in elevation, partly in vertical section, represents still another portion of the device. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of still another portion. Figs. 13 and 1-1 are respectively plan view and side elevation of a modified form of the device shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Fig. 15 shows a modified form of the device. Fig. 16 shows a perspective view of a two-track tunnel provided with various forms of retarding and deflecting devices.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 designates the bottom of the tunnel, and 2 its side walls. 3, l, 5, and 6 designate the respective tracks for the trains 7 and 8. 9 is a station, 01' which 10 is a platform and 11 an entrance or exit stairway. In the fourtrack tunnel shown the center tracks 1 and 5 are usually employed for express service, and the side tracks 3 and 6 for local trains. The trains 7 and S, which may oi course consist of one or more cars either sell-propelled or drawn by a special engine or motor, run in the direction shown by the arrows thereon and generate rotary, i. (1., whirling or cyclonic, currents indicated by the arrow headed lines 12 surrounding them. In addition, they generate currents moving with the train close to its sides and caused by skin friction, these being marked 13. By giving these rotary currents a relative retardation at the wall 2 ol" the tunnel, a current having a general movement to the right of the figure is generated. It is clear that this relative retardation may be either a positive re tarda tion at one side of the tunnel, or a positive acceleration on the other side or both, approximately the same effect being produced. in any case. As a means of producing the accelerating ei'l'ect 1 show diagrammatically in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings fans 15, 16, located respectively above and below the platform 10, and delivering air into a transverse pipe 17 having lateral emission apertures 18 at one side of the tunnel to supply fresh air behind trains. In addition to these, I may provide up-take pipes 19 and fans 20 at the next station 9 for carrying oil the air currents produced as above described.

As a means of positively retarding the rotary currents produced by the motion oi the trains at one side 01' the tunnel I secure to or adjacent the wall 2 a series of transverse ba'l'lles 21 (see Fig. 7) projecting at right angles from the longitudinal wall of the tunnel and preferably extending from floor to roof of the tunnel ii on the side wall,

or downwardly so as to clear the top of the train it battles 21 are placed on the reel. Or may make a like series of bathes 22 (see Fig. 8) which are inclined against the direction oi the generated current. in either case one wall, together with a portion of the roof of the tunnel, is made rela el less smooth and regular than the other so that it will retard the air currents passing therealong, while the currents on the opposite side of the tunnel permitted to flow unobstructed. ln'addition to thus releivel T reta ding the air currents at prer on ii ned side of the tunnel, iny iirventlv ntenu plates reversing all or a part of rents which are i'lowi in t, tion so as to join t established in th different devices may be used to t which 1 illustrate a low. u. and 5 I show root-supporting pos form of :tbeains, adjacent to Which. vertical deflectors preferably former oi sheet metal and curved to an approz-nniately semi-circular form with their concave sides current. Extending from a out t oi the c rve oi' the deflector 24 to adjacent lhbeain is a partition Preferably,

and the partition 25 placed bet e n tn:

roof-supporting beams which are located 3 bet een tracl: t and 5 in r and 2 or he drawnigs so as to de lect the currents produced by the express train in arlred is obvious, however, that they could as well 1 1 Q i T 3 1 ilfi 'Q q r {LL D61) Li/cL/(L A Om. L611 bulb L1 we L\.S iliELiiu/L 6 11C 2, and in this case would serve to deflect the currents produced by a local train on tract:

3, which train is not shown in the dra s. Thls device serves to d the siiin iricuion current produced at the left of the train marked '8, the current being carried by the plate 25 and turned by the curved deflector 24 as shown. by the arrows in Fig. l. it is evident that any number of these plates 25 and deflectors 24 may be set up, the exigencies of the case require. In T 6 of the drawings 1 have shoun deflectors 26 placed against the il-bearns 23, the plates 25 being omitted. Gbvio sly, the reversing effect above described l proluced, although perhaps in l ss 'ree As another means of reversing friction current I have shown in A 12's. 9 and it a plate 2 located between adjacent fj-beanis one having its end 28 bent to form nearly a co1nplete circle. The partition 27 in this case is of considerably less height than the tunnel, and a pipe 29 leading in the reverse direction to the current produced is connected with the curve 28 of the plate, as shown in? 10. The resulting reversal of the current is shown by the arrows in both fi ures, the currents striking the plate 27 being reverted and directed upward by the curve 28 into the pipe 29, through which they flow in the direction shown, that is, opposite to that of the passage oi the train. in 13 and A l have shown a modification of this device adapted to he placed between the beams 23, which are located between the middle tracks l and 5 of the tunnel. In this case the plate or partition extends angularly of the axial line oi the tunnel and so as to practically connect the opposite webs of the adjacent Ebeams. At each end it is curved, as before described, and as shown at 31 and 32. Both the curved portions 31 and 32 are connected with pipes marked respectively 33 and 34, the pipe 33 shown as leading into the pipe Obviously, the current areduced by the train 8 in the drawings wil be deflected by the curved deflector portion 31 into the pipe 32'}, and the current produced by the passage of train 7 in the opposite direction Will be deflected by the curved portion 32 in o tl e pipe 3 2, the two currents jo ng a l h g in the required direction, t I nt of he drawing, shows another i orm of this current reversing device, in which up w d tunnel 35 has its mouth 36 ol' the passage of the train 8,

I the funnel being connected w ar per ion 37 leading in the opposi w r: e passage of the train.

'ersal oi" the air currents are indicated by the arrows in the s turned by the genit consists of a chamber 38 the shaft 40 of which operated erated currents.

I l M much is a fan hrough hearings 41 therein. At each end of "he shaft 4:0 are loosely mounted wind wheels marked 42 and t?) respectively. These are provided with clutch inen hers adapted to engage with COIT ending clutch members 45 keyed to the shaft id, Collars limit the longitudinal movement of the wind wheels 42, 43 on the shalt. Conducting pipes 47, 48 lead to and from the chainher 38 respectively. The operation of this device will be readily understood from an inspection the drawing. it will be seen that when a current passes from right to left of the drawings the wind wheel 43 will he bodily moved so as to i;s clutch ist with the t e shaft to and that adjacent clutch on the current will then act to turn the wheel 43 and thus the fan 39 so as to draw air through the tuhe 47 and force it outwardly through the tube Conversely, a curre t generated by the passage of the train in the opposite direction or by any air current flowing from left to right of the drawing will force the arojects from the chamber at both ends Wheel 42 into operative connection with the shaft 40 and throw the wheel 43 out of such connection so that, as before, the fan 39 will be rotated to produce the desired air current. It is obvious that the relative size of the Ian 39 and the wind wheels 42, 43 may be varied as desired. It is also obvious that the pipe 48 may be carried along to the right, as desired, in which case it will act to reverse the air current in the tunnel, or it may be provided with an up-turned end leading to an exit aperture in the roof of the tunnel, not shown, in which case it will act to positively withdraw air from the tunnel in whichever direction the temporary current in the tunnel is moving. big. 15 of the drawings shows a modification of this device, in which the fan 49 is driven by a wind wheel 50 connected thereto by a belt 51. In this View the casing 38 and connected parts are omitted for the sake of clearness, the object being merely to show another method in which a fan may be driven by a wind wheel operated by a current of air generated in the tunnel itself.

In Fig. 16 I have illustrated in perspective the appearance of a rectangular two-track tunnel provided with my deflecting devices. Obviously the tunnel may be of any other shape and have any number of tracks and may be provided with any number or all of the various forms of devices illustrated. In this figure of the drawing the left-hand track is the north-bound and the right-hand track the south-bound track. The arrows A and B indicate the eneral direction of air currents produced by the train and the normal condition in the tunnel is that these currents in opposite directions balance each other and little or no air is disgorged at either end of the tunnel. The arrow A represents the desired direction in which it is proposed to produce a general preponderating current by causing the currents produced by the trains to check, deflect, or reverse art of themselves or each other in the desirec direction of preponderating current. This is accomplished by making one side of the tunnel of less resistance than the other. To produce this result I use the various forms of deflectors which have been referred to, adapted to various constructions and conditions in tunnels, and all operating because of the currents produced by the trains impinging on the deflectors and causing parts of said currents to be deflected or reversed into the desired direction of preponderance. I have illustrated three forms of deflectors: (1) Straight deflectors 21 and 21, consisting of ribs secured to the east side D of the tunnel, thus roughing and produc ing more friction on this side of the tunnel and establishing a line of less resistance near the west side U of the tunnel. These ribs may extend from floor to roof or only part way, and may also be placed on the roof or the floor, according to circumstances. in proposed tunnels it would be preferable to have these deflectors consist of grooves or depressions or projections formed as part of the original construction. (2) Diaphragm deflectors 25 between columns, consisting of a diaphragm or partition of any one of the forms shown in igs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13 and 14. The dotted portion of the arrow M shows the normal current passing along the diaphragm into the deflecting piece and around the edge thereof and then coming out of such deflecting piece, as shown, by the solid portion of the arrow M, having thus been deflected into the desired direction of prepcnderation or line of least resistance. (3) A rotary deflector of the form shown in fig. 11. By this arrangement part of the current is taken in through the pipe 47 and discharged through the pipe 48, thus deflecting it from its normal direction and reversing it to the desired direction of preponderance.

I have shown a variety of means for re tarding, accelerating and reversing the currents 01' air flowing through the tunnel either permanently or ten'iporarily, the ol ject being in all cases to create a positive current flowing in a single desired direction. It is obvious that various other means may be used for these purposes, or any of them, and that any of these means may be used without the others with good eilect.

The speed of trains passing through a turn nel such as described may vary from thirty to forty-five miles an hour and upward. These, as shown, generate whirling currents oi considerable force, which act merely to stir u and practically rotate the air in the tunne without carrying any useful proportion thereof out at the ends or openings. By means of the devices described I am able to control these rapid and powerful currents, though moving in opposite directions, by causing those which move in the direction not desired to reverse themselves in part, the result being to produce a preponderating influence to create a relatively steady current of much less velocity but of useful eflect in one direction, by which the tunnel is ventilated with comparative steadiness, every train passing therethrough assisting to this end.

While I have shown my various devices as applied to the four-track railway tunnel, it will of course be understood that many or all oi them may be advantageously employed with a tunnel of any width or size, and used for any purpose. It is also clear that many modifications may be made in the forms of the device, as in fact each tunnel has to be studied with reference to its individual and particular requirements, which vary within the widest limits.

It is obvious that if the sides of the tunnel are already sufliciently rough, the de- &

sired efl ect can be produced by making one of the rough sides of the tunnel smooth.

What I claim is 1. A railway tunnel having a plurality of tracks rovided at one side of its median line wit 1 air retarding devices.

2. A railway tunnel having a plurality of tracks provided at one side of its median line with air retarding devices and having the other side free from such devices.

3. A railway tunnel having means located adjacent the track for changing the direction of air currents generated by the passage of a train.

4:. A tunnel ventilating device comprising means for reversing a portion of the rotary air currents generated in the tunnel by the passage of a train therethrough at one side of the train.

5. A tunnel ventilating device comprising means for giving a longitudinal progressive movement in one direction to the rotary air currents generated in the tunnel by the passage of a train therethrough, in combination with means for positively creating a current longitudinally of the tunnel in the same direction.

6. In a tunnel and in combination with a wall thereof, means for retarding air currents produced adjacent to said wall by the passage of a train through the tunnel.

7. In a tunnel and in combination with a Wall thereof, a deflector extending laterally from said wall for retarding air currents produced adjacent thereto by the passage of a train through the tunnel.

8. In a tunnel, a plurality of tracks, and

means intermediate of said tracks for de fleeting air currents generated in the tunnel by the passage of a train therethrough.

9. In a tunnel, a plurality of tracks, vertical roof supports intermediate of said tracks, and means connected to said supports for retarding air currents generated in the tunnel by the passage of a train therethrough.

10. In a tunnel, a plurality of tracks, vertical rooi supports intermediate of said tracks, and vertical deflectors intermediate of said supports for deflecting air currents produced in the tunnel by the passage of a train therethrough.

11. In a tunnel, a plurality of tracks, a longitudinal vertical partition between two of said tracks and a transverse vertical deflector for cooperating with said partition to reverse air currents produced at one side 01" said partition by a train passing through the tunnel.

12. In a tunnel, .a plurality of tracks, a longitudinal vertical partition intermediate of said tracks, a vertical deflector adjacent to one end of said partition, and a pipe connected with said deflector for carrying a current of air projected thereinto by said partition and said deflector. v

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOWARD CONSTABLE.

Witnesses OLIN A. FosTER, A. L. OBRIEN. 

